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    Home » Entrees

    Vegan Tikka Masala

    Published: Feb 3, 2021 Updated: Feb 8, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Tikka Masala

    This is the best vegan tikka masala recipe ever! It tastes just as good (or better) than a restaurant and it’s so easy to make at home. Rich and creamy and made with tofu and cashews for a fabulous Indian inspired dinner.

    Tikka masala with rice on a plate.

    Who needs to order takeout when you can make your own vegan tikka masala that tastes even better!

    We took a lot of inspiration for this recipe from our vegan butter chicken recipe. A tikka masala is similar in many ways though the flavors are different.

    We have the tofu standing in for the chicken in this recipe and it does a superb job. And if you wanted to serve this with some vegan naan on the side, well that would be a very fine idea.

    And if you love this recipe also check out our vegan katsu curry and our vegan chana masala.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    Ingredients needed to make vegan tikka masala.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Extra firm tofu – it’s important to get the firmest tofu you can get, and then we still press it for 20-30 minutes so that it’s really firm and will hold up well in your sauce.
    • Raw cashews – form the base of the vegan yogurt sauce that we toss the tofu cubes in before baking.
    • Coconut sugar – is just for flavor balance for the creamy tomato sauce. It’s added in at the end and balances the flavors beautifully. It does not make it sweet! However, you can switch this for brown sugar or any sugar that you have on hand, or you can omit it if preferred.
    • Coconut cream – we used canned, unsweetened coconut cream. You can also use full fat, canned, unsweetened coconut milk if that’s easier to get hold of.
    Vegan tikka masala with rice on a plate.

    How To Make Vegan Tikka Masala

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Press the tofu. The best way to do this is to use a tofu press. If you don’t have a tofu press, then simply place the tofu onto a plate, with another plate on top of it and then stack something heavy on top like a heavy pot or a stack of books. Leave it to press for 20-30 minutes.
    • When the tofu is pressed, roughly chop it into cubes and place it into a mixing bowl.
    Collage of two photos showing tofu pressing and then cut into cubes.
    • Prepare the vegan yogurt sauce. Add raw cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, freshly grated ginger and crushed garlic to a blender jug and blend until smooth.
    Two photo collage showing blender jug before and after blending.
    • Pour the vegan yogurt sauce over the cubes of tofu in your mixing bowl and gently toss the tofu in the sauce so that it’s all evenly coated.
    Collage of two photos showing vegan yogurt sauce poured over tofu and then mixed in.
    • Transfer the tofu to a parchment lined baking tray and spread out evenly.
    • Bake in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
    Collage of two photos showing tofu before and after baking.
    • Prepare your tomato sauce. While the tofu is baking you can start your tomato sauce.
    • Add vegan butter to a pot on medium heat and melt the butter. Then add in chopped onions and sauté until softened.
    Two photo collage showing onions in the pot and then sautéed.
    • Now add crushed garlic, grated ginger, fresh chili, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander powder and cayenne pepper and sauté with the onions.
    Collage of two photos showing spices added to onions and sautéed.
    • Add crushed tomatoes and coconut cream and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for a few minutes. Reduce heat and then stir in coconut sugar (for flavor balance) and add salt to taste.
    Collage of two photos showing crushed tomatoes and coconut cream added to pot and then mixed in.
    • Lastly, add the baked tofu pieces and fold them gently into the sauce.
    • Your tikka masala is ready to serve!
    Collage of two photos showing tofu added to sauce and folded in.

    How To Serve Tikka Masala

    Serve it over basmati rice with some freshly chopped cilantro sprinkled on top. Of course if you want something on the side then nothing beats some good homemade vegan naan.

    Tikka masala with rice and fresh cilantro.

    Storing and Freezing

    Leftovers will keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove.

    It is also freezer friendly for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as usual.

    Vegan tikka masala on a fork.

    More Vegan Indian Inspired Recipes

    1. Vegan Korma
    2. Vegan Curry
    3. Vegan Naan
    4. Vegan Butter Chicken
    5. Vegan Chickpea Curry
    6. Vegan Chana Masala

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Tikka masala with rice and fresh cilantro

    Vegan Tikka Masala

    This is the best vegan tikka masala recipe ever! It tastes just as good (or better) than a restaurant and it’s so easy to make at home. Rich and creamy and made with tofu and cashews for a fabulous Indian inspired dinner. 
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entree, Gluten-Free, Savory
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 457kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Tofu: 

    • 28 ounces Extra Firm Tofu (800g) pressed for 20-30 minutes

    For the Vegan Yogurt Sauce:

    • 1 cup Raw Cashews (150g)
    • ⅓ cup Water (80ml)
    • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
    • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 2 tsp Garam Masala
    • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    • 1 tsp Turmeric
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Grated
    • 4 Cloves Garlic Crushed

    For the Tomato Sauce: 

    • 2 Tbsp Vegan Butter
    • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
    • 4 Cloves Garlic Crushed
    • 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Grated
    • 1 Birds Eye Chili Seeded and Chopped
    • 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
    • 1 tsp Turmeric
    • 1 tsp Cumin
    • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
    • ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    • 2 and ½ cups Crushed Tomatoes (600ml)
    • 1 cup Canned Coconut Cream (240ml) Unsweetened
    • ½ Tbsp Coconut Sugar
    • Sea Salt To Taste

    For Serving:

    • Basmati Rice
    • Fresh Chopped Cilantro
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu. Press the tofu ideally using a tofu press. If you don't have a tofu press, then simply place the tofu onto a plate, with another plate on top of it and then stack something heavy on top like a heavy pot or a stack of books. Leave it to press for 20-30 minutes. 
    • When the tofu is pressed, roughly chop it into cubes and place it into a mixing bowl. 
    • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 
    • Prepare the vegan yogurt sauce. Add raw cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, freshly grated ginger and crushed garlic to a blender jug and blend until smooth. 
    • Pour the vegan yogurt sauce over the cubes of tofu in your mixing bowl and gently toss the tofu in the sauce so that it’s all evenly coated. 
    • Transfer the tofu to a parchment lined baking tray and spread out evenly. 
    • Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until lightly browned. 
    • Prepare your tomato sauce. While the tofu is baking you can start your tomato sauce. 
    • Add vegan butter to a pot on medium heat and melt the butter. Then add in chopped onions and sauté until softened. 
    • Now add crushed garlic, grated ginger, fresh chili, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander powder and cayenne pepper and sauté with the onions. 
    • Add crushed tomatoes and coconut cream and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for a few minutes. Reduce heat and then stir in coconut sugar (for flavor balance) and add salt to taste. 
    • Lastly, add the baked tofu pieces and fold them gently into the sauce. 
    • Your tikka masala is ready to serve!
    • Serve it over basmati rice with some freshly chopped cilantro sprinkled on top. 

    Notes

    1. Extra firm tofu – it’s important to get the firmest tofu you can get, and then we still press it for 20-30 minutes so that it’s really firm and will hold up well in your sauce. 
    2. Coconut cream – this should be canned, unsweetened coconut cream. You can also use full fat, canned, unsweetened coconut milk if that’s easier to get hold of. 
    3. Coconut sugar – is just for flavor balance for the creamy tomato sauce. It’s added in at the end and balances the flavors beautifully. It does not make it sweet! However, you can switch this for brown sugar or any sugar that you have on hand, or you can omit it if preferred. 
    4. Storing and Freezing – Leftovers will keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove. It is also freezer friendly for up to 2 months! Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as usual. 
    5. Prep time includes the time spent pressing the tofu. 
    6. Nutritional information is for tikka masala only and excludes basmati rice. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.2g | Protein: 23.2g | Fat: 31.2g | Saturated Fat: 9.4g | Sodium: 767mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 7.2g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anna says

      September 03, 2022 at 11:46 pm

      We just made this recipe and I cannot stress this enough: holy crap it is DIVINE! Thank you so much, it’s seriously exquisite. I added a cilantro sauce on the side which paired very nicely.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 05, 2022 at 10:58 am

        Wonderful! And a cilantro sauce on the side sounds amazing! Thanks so much for the awesome comment and review.

        Reply
    2. Eric says

      May 22, 2022 at 1:14 am

      I thought I left a comment here already but 2 things:
      1) I subbed the crushed tomatoes with pure tomato sauce. This is the best tikka masala recipe I’ve tried…Should’ve tried it long ago!
      2) Can I include the excess yogurt sauce to the tomato sauce? It just smells so delicious and I hate to throw it away!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 23, 2022 at 10:05 am

        Thanks Eric! Yes I think you could add the yogurt sauce into the main sauce if you like, I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing it would just add some extra creaminess.

        Reply
        • Eric says

          June 15, 2022 at 4:13 am

          I added most of the yogurt sauce and actually thinking of making a little extra next time coz it was absolutely even more delicious several days later after adding the extra yogurt sauce I saved. Chicken tikka masala was one of my top faves during my carnivore days and I think this tastes even better than the original “chicken version”! Thank you for making this available! Ps, I’m not sure what difference it made but I also added dried methi leaves.5 stars

          Reply
          • Alison Andrews says

            June 15, 2022 at 12:55 pm

            Wonderful to hear that, so glad it turned out great! thanks so much for the update!

    3. Eric says

      May 21, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      Chicken tikka masala is one of my faves and I always made it a point to order it back when I was a carnivore. I’ve tried a few veganized recipes of it and prioritized those with 5 star or close to 5 star ratings from the most people and they turned out quite good. This one though, in spite of having just a mere 5 ratings, is by far the best and it looks like my hardcore carnivore family members like it as well! The pickiest one actually said, “this tastes like the real thing!” I subbed the crushed tomatoes with a 50:50 mix of 100% pure tomato paste and water since I didn’t have crushed tomatoes on hand. HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED!!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 23, 2022 at 10:03 am

        Thanks so much Eric! So happy you loved it!

        Reply
    4. Kyle says

      January 18, 2022 at 1:58 am

      Your recipe was fantastic. I ended up using just regular old margarine and crushed red pepper (instead of the single pepper) and red pepper powder(instead of cayenne… because I was out) as my substitutes. And I probably doubled the garlic because love extra garlic! Was out of raw cashews so used salted ones and just didn’t add any of the salt you called for. So it was spicy and wonderful. The yogurt part smelled so wonderful while it was cooking. Everyone had seconds and asked for your recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 18, 2022 at 9:32 am

        Fantastic! So happy to hear that Kyle, thanks so much for the awesome review.

        Reply
    5. Sheryl says

      January 11, 2022 at 2:10 pm

      What is the spicy level on this? I usually ask for mild when I order this dish out, could I omit the chili and cayenne and still get the flavor right?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 13, 2022 at 1:30 pm

        Hi Sheryl, I consider it pretty mild and I also like things on the mild side, but you can also absolutely omit the chili and the cayenne and it will be just as delicious. All the best! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Krishna says

      October 13, 2021 at 2:43 pm

      I don’t often comment on recipes but I have to say this was fantastic and just like the takeaway/restaurant version but even more satisfying as it’s homemade! I’ve tried one other recipe and the flavour was so wrong I didn’t think I’d bother trying again. I replaced the tofu with soy pieces. Amazing!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 13, 2021 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks so much for commenting Krishna, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Arushana says

      March 06, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      Delicious! I made this last week for dinner and it was delicious and easy to make! Definitely will be making this again for sure!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 08, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Awesome! Thanks so much Arushana!

        Reply
    8. JC says

      February 16, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      Hi Alison, looks really nice actually.. though is there any metric conversion of the recipe?

      JC

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 16, 2021 at 3:45 pm

        We do have metric where appropriate in brackets. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Ken Johnston says

      February 09, 2021 at 3:07 am

      My comment is very similar to both the previous ones. This just might be the best online recipe I’ve tried. Excellent and very authentic Indian flavor. I also was looking for a cashew substitute, but for a different reason. The cashews are getting so darned expensive. Thanx for the recipe, Alison.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 09, 2021 at 9:53 am

        Thanks so much Ken! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Julie says

      February 06, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      This is my favourite recipe of yours so far. It was absolutely delicious! We both went back for seconds. Tasted very fresh and spicy. Can’t wait to make it again 🙂5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 07, 2021 at 10:34 am

        That’s awesome Julie! Thanks so much!

        Reply
    11. Laurie Weaver says

      February 04, 2021 at 1:03 am

      Hi, can you use another nut besides cashew? My husband is allergic to these.
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 04, 2021 at 11:04 am

        Sure, slivered or blanched almonds will also work, but the texture may not be as smooth (that’s okay though!). OR, if you have access to plain vegan yogurt you can use that instead of the cashews and the water, and just stir the spices into it and then pour over your tofu.

        Reply
        • Diane Bird says

          October 15, 2022 at 1:35 am

          I had some plain homemade soy yogurt, so I used that instead of the cashews and water. The recipe came out too tangy. Should I have omitted or reduced the lemon juice and vinegar? And how much yogurt should I use? I’m looking forward to trying this again with a slight tweak of the yogurt cream sauce. Thanks 🙂

          Reply
          • Alison Andrews says

            October 15, 2022 at 10:17 am

            You could omit the lemon juice and vinegar in that case, as the addition of those to the plain cashews and water is to mimic the tanginess of yogurt. I would use a cup of yogurt and stir in the spices.

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